


Snowflake

by Fishyz9



Category: Days of Our Lives
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-06
Updated: 2013-10-06
Packaged: 2017-12-28 15:33:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/993584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fishyz9/pseuds/Fishyz9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s Christmas time at the Horton house, and Will has a surprise for Sonny.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Snowflake

**Author's Note:**

> This stemmed from an anonymous prompt of Will giving Sonny a Christmas ornament. I’m aware it’s October, but screw it.

** Snowflake ** . 

At first we all ignore the raised voices we can hear coming from the other room, but it isn’t too long before we run out of polite conversation and we’re all straining to hear just what the hell is going on with Will and his parents.

We all know them, so it isn’t too awkward. The Horton-Brady clan arguing with each other is kind of like franks and beans, or pancakes and maple syrup; it just goes together. But that doesn’t stop people from rolling their eyes or glancing at their watches, because it’s the season to be jolly and for the majority of people here today, decorating the tree is the very best part of Christmas.

I should explain, the tree is actually fully trimmed, but the Horton’s have this real sweet tradition of hanging ornaments that have the names of each family member―present or no longer with us―on the tree on Christmas Eve. It’s something I got to see for the first time last year, and it’s something I’ve been looking forward to ever since.

Except Sami and Lucas offered―very hurriedly, before anyone else could―to bring out the small chest that carries these ornaments into the living room so that the good feelings and merriment could commence. After ten minutes, Will―who had been tugging at the collar of his shirt and fidgeting nervously ever since his folks left the room―excused himself to see what was taking them so long.

That was fifteen minutes ago and I’m now out of eggnog. I even drank Will’s, but he hates the stuff and just accepted the glass from Jen for the sake of being polite, so I know he won’t mind.

Gabi nudges me and I look at her. She’s got Ari snuggled against her shoulder, but she’s beginning to fuss. We were so looking forward to Arianna’s first Christmas, but it has to be timed perfectly, and I can tell that this little girl is beginning to get ornery.

“What the hell is going on in there?” She asks me quietly.

“I’ve no idea, but it’s Sami and Lucas so it could be anything from arguing about who gets to carve the turkey to who’s going to hide the body.”

Gabi snorts in a very unladylike fashion and quickly covers her mouth with her hand. I grin at her and she pokes her elbow in my side. “That isn’t very charitable.” She bites her lip. “Possible, but not very charitable.”

We both look at Ari when she makes those adorable, yet none the less telltale snuffling, whimper-like squeaks and gurgles that indicate that she’s sleepy and wants to nap. And if this little cupcake doesn’t get her nap with her favorite bunny when she wants it, she will let the whole world know how unhappy she is about it.

“Uh oh.” Gabi mutters, doing her little side step and bouncy hip motions to try and keep the inevitable whaling at bay. “They need to hurry it up, like…now.”

“I’m sure they’ll be out here any minute now.”

Gabi gasps, and then looks at me. “I bet I know what they’re doing.”

“What?”

“It’s Ari’s first Christmas…” She does an excited little wiggle, hugging Ari close and making me laugh. “Will’s making sure they have her ornament.”

I immediately know she’s right and I have to smile with her. My hand automatically reaches out to cup the back of Arianna’s head. “You’re probably right.”

Arianna fusses again, her mewls growing a little more impatient, and Gabi pouts. “Oh, I don’t want her to miss it! What are they doing?”

I put down my empty glass, and nervously clear my throat. “Excuse me, folks.” I say, hoping that I’m not overstepping as a guest. “I’m just going to go see what’s keeping them, back in a moment.”

The rest of the family seems grateful for this, and I quickly make my way into the other room.  I walk in to see Will running his fingers through his hair, his tie pulled loose, and looking as frazzled as I’ve ever seen him.

“I can’t believe you lost it!” He hisses as Lucas digs through the chest.

“It’s not lost, it’s here somewhere, relax.”

“ _Relax_?” Sami says, crossing her arms angrily. “Have you any idea how long Will’s been planning this? I can’t believe you―”

“Guys?”

All three heads snap up to stare at me, and in that quick, mental snapshot I can see perfectly how Will resembles his parents. He has his mother’s coloring, and his father’s jaw line and wide shoulders. Thank goodness he inherited―for the most part―his grandmother’s commonsense.

I’m baffled, however, when Will practicably lunges to stand in front of the chest, blocking my view. “Hi sweetie, w-what are you doing back here?”

“The rest of us were just wondering what was taking so long.” I wince apologetically. “And we can kind of hear you arguing.”

Will glances at his parent and then back at me, waving his hand and giving me the most blatantly forced laugh. “We’re not arguing, nothing’s going on.”

“Then what’s taking so long?”

“We’re just…we, um…”

I step forwards. “Do you need a hand―?”

“No!” All three yell at once and I immediately stop in my tracks.

“Why are you being so weird? It’s not like I don’t know what’s going on.”

Will blinks at me. “You…what?”

I roll my eyes. “I admit that it was Gabi who figured it out first, but now that I think about it it’s kind of obvious.”

Will stares at me, and then his shoulders just slump in total disappointment. “You _know_?”

“Well… _yes_.”

“I…I can’t _believe_ Gabi would do that!”

“What’s the problem?” I laugh in utter bemusement, because I know Will, and he’s pretty weird most of the time, but he’s being exceptionally special right now.

“I…” he gestures behind him with his hand and then it flops back by his side. “I wanted so much for it to be a surprise. I wanted it to be the biggest, best surprise ever.”

“Will, honey…” I say softly. “She’s a baby; she’s not going to know the difference.”

All three stare at me.

“What?” Lucas asks.

“The ornament, for Ari? That’s what all the fuss is about…” I trail off, frowning. “Right?”

They’re quiet for about 2.5 seconds, and then all three of them start talking at once.

“Yes. Yes… _that_.” Sami says.

“You got it right on the nose, just…yep.” Lucas nods.

“What you’re thinking right now? What you just said?” Will babbles. “That’s exactly what’s happening.”

“Um…okay.”

“So…uh,” Will rubs the back of his neck, glancing back at his folks and then at me. “So you can just…you know…go back in the living room and chill.” He gestures between himself and his parents. “We got this.”

“Well obviously not if you’re arguing loud enough for everyone to hear you.”

Both Will and Lucas look at Sami.

“It’s not my fault I have a voice that carries!”

I step forwards. “Why don’t I just―?”

“No!” All three yell at me, one again stopping me in my tracks.

Will walks up to me and rubs my arms. “What we mean is, um…”

“We seemed to have misplaced it.” Lucas says smoothly. “And you’re so good at keeping the peace, Sonny, could you just keep everyone entertained while we quickly hunt through here?” He points at the chest.

I look between the three of them and frown when I notice that Will is actually beginning to sweat. “Uh, okay then.  You sure you have this?”

“Yes.” All three say, and I’m not going to lie; it’s getting a little creepy.

“Alright…” I say reluctantly, backing up. “But tell me one thing.”

Will swallows nervously, but tips his chin up in question.

“Is this weird, Horton-Brady thing hereditary? Because if it is, we’re going to have our hands full with that little munchkin out there.”

Will stares at me for a second, but then lets out an overly bright, slightly manic laugh. “You’re funny.” He looks back at his folks who are smiling forced smiles and nodding along. “Isn’t he funny? You’re so funny. Now get out.”

I sputter as Will practically forces me out of the kitchen and then pulls the door closed. I shake my head. “Weirdest. Boyfriend. Ever.”

All heads turn my way when I walk back into the living room. “They won’t be a second; they’re just, uh…checking that they’re all there.”

There’s a collective murmur through the family that is both accepting and annoyed. I walk back over towards Gabi, but then I do a double take when I see my folks walk into room. I stride over just as my dad is sliding my mom’s coat off of her shoulders.

“Hey!”

“Hi, baby!” she says excitedly. “Did we miss it?”

“Miss what?” I ask, accepting her hug and looking at my dad questioningly. “What are you doing here?”

My dad shoots my mother a quick look and then pulls me into a hug. “Will asked us to join you all this year; we thought we’d surprise you.”

“He did? That’s so cool, why didn’t he tell me?”

My mom shrugs, practically vibrating and grinning from ear to ear. “Who knows?”

“Well… _awesome_!” I laugh. “Come on through and say hi to everyone.”

They do just that, and if anyone wonders at their presence, they don’t say anything. I walk over to Gabi just as Will and his mom and dad finally, _finally_ join the rest of us, chest in hand.

“Well it’s about time!” Someone calls out, and everyone crowds around the chest as it’s opened up.

“So was I right?” Gabi asks.

I grin and nod my head, and she all but jumps up and down. I can’t _not_ laugh at her. I gravitate over to my folks and explain what’s going on. I tell them how Tom and Alice’s ornaments are hung first, right through to the youngest family members, which in this case, will be Arianna-Grace Horton.

I pull my phone out ready to take pictures of Will and Gabi, but then I realize that Will isn’t anywhere to be seen. I look around and spot him behind the Christmas tree of all places, searching through the branches. I walk over to him, and whisper into his ear.

“What are you doing?”

He practically jumps out of his skin and whips around. “Sonny! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”  He whispers in a rush.

“ _No_ ,” I draw out. “I’m trying to figure out what’s up with you. You’re being weirder than usual.”

He shuffles his feet uneasily, glancing around us. “No I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. And why didn’t you tell me that you’d invited my folks.” I reach out and stroke his arm. “Will, I really like that you did that, thank you.”

He’s about to say something when we hear Maggie say: “Okay, does everyone have their ornament?”

Will’s eyes go wide. “Crap.”

I snort. “ _Will_.”

“Okay, look. An ornament got misplaced and was hung up with the other decorations when it shouldn’t have been.”

I frown at him. “What ornament?”

He bites his lip. “Just… an ornament.”

“Arianna’s?”

He squints. “Yes?”

“That sounded convincing.”

He starts to push me away. _Again_. “Can you do me a favor and just film everything on your phone while I look for it?”

“Well you’re not really giving me a choice, are you?” I say as I stumble out from behind the tree. Luckily, everyone’s too preoccupied to notice me.

I pull out my phone again and start to film as the last few ornaments are handed out, but I can’t help but frown when Lucas hands a beaming Gabi an ornament that clearly has _Arianna-Grace_ written on the side. At the same time I hear and excited ‘ _yes’_ from behind me, and look over my shoulder to see Will step from behind the tree, clearly hiding something behind his back.

I narrow my eyes at him and beckon him over with the curl of my finger. As soon as he’s beside me I point towards Gabi, and lift an eyebrow at him. He wraps his arm around my waist and shrugs innocently.

“What the hell are you up to?”

He kisses my cheek. “Don’t worry about it.”

I shake my head at him. “You’re telling me later.”

“That sounds fair enough.”

We watch as everyone hangs their ornament, and I make sure to film on my phone when Gabi hangs Arianna’s. I notice that Lucas is doing the same, only he has an actual camera and as soon as AG’s ornament is hung, he swings it over to face me and Will.

Maggie claps her hands together. “That’s everyone, shall we―”

“Actually…” Will says beside me, stepping away from me to actually face me. “There’s one more.”

I look from Will’s folks to my own, noticing that they’re all grinning ear to ear, and that’s when Will pulls one last ornament from out behind his back. He turns it in his hand and I take in a quick breath when I realize that it has my name on it.

 _Sonny_.

It even has a little heart next to it.

“Will?” I shake my head at him, suddenly breathless and smiling helplessly at his thoughtful, sweet surprise.

“My family,” he says, addressing the entire room. “Has grown this year, and honestly…I feel like the happiest, luckiest person in the whole world.” He looks me straight in the eye.

“I’m lucky because I have my beautiful daughter, and a compassionate, loving, incredible man like you in my life.” He shakes his head. “I don’t deserve you. No one could ever deserve anything as wonderful as you, because you are truly one of a kind, Sonny, like…like a snowflake.” He laughs nervously. “Unique and just…” He sighs. “Utterly beautiful.” He nods his head, and there’s a slight sheen to his blue eyes. “My very own snowflake.”

“Will…” I whisper, feeling a little overwhelmed and a little confused as to where all of this is coming from.

“And I know what everyone must be thinking right now…” he says, glancing around him before he looks back at me. “Isn’t this a bit much for a Christmas ornament?”

A ripple of quiet laughter goes through the room.

“And you’d be right, it is. But it’s not just an ornament, it’s something else.”

He steps closer and I frown when I see his finger trace along a now visible line that runs along the center of the ball. “It’s…it’s something else…”

Blue eyes, bright and open, honest and full of devotion watch me as he…as he drops to one knee. I let out an unsteady breath and people around me gasp. I quickly cover my mouth, as if to contain the roaring emotion suddenly seesawing inside of me.

“I know.” He says, a soft smile curving his lips, his brows arched as if he’s in pain. “I know―I _have_ known from day one how you feel about…about families, and marriage, and not rushing in to things― that they should all be savored. And I do agree, or I used to, but then…”

He takes a gulping breath.

“But then I just completely and utterly let go, you know? I gave everything I am to you, and it was the easiest, most natural thing in the world to surrender and to just trust myself with you. And…and I don’t even know why, but I can’t sleep anymore, I can’t eat, I can’t move a single step forwards without tying myself to you―without tying my _heart_ to yours.”

“Will…” I whisper.

“I am so in love with you. I remember nothing before you; you’re in every thought in my head. Everything _good_ I feel is tied to you, because you’re not just my friend, you’re not just my lover or the man that loves my daughter like his own. You’re everything in between, too. You’re _everything_.”

I glance away for only a second when I hear someone whisper an ‘ _oh my god._ ’ But my eyes go straight back to Will.

“It doesn’t have to be tomorrow, next month; next year…the promise is enough. But I can’t hold back the _question_.” He takes a quiet breath, swallows hard, and then whispers. “Will you marry me, Sonny?”

Before him, before I loved Will, it would have been a dilemma, a matter of thinking it over maturely, logically. But one single word sails so smoothly from lips, no strings attached, no hesitation.

“Yes.”

His smile is everything. The sheer relief and happiness that washes over his beautiful face is breathtaking. He stands and pulls me into his arms, and I’m aware of people around us, patting my shoulder, speaking, laughing, and someone is crying, but…all I can see is Will in front of me, close to tears and happier than I’ve ever seen him. I don’t realize that I’m tearful myself until his thumb wipes away something damp from my cheek.

“Are you going to give him the ring or what?” That’s Lucas, his grin huge and his hands on Will’s shoulder’s shaking him with pride.

“Oh!” He says, like he’s just remembered the ornament in his hands. “Yeah, see I had this made because I wanted this to be unique, and I wanted you to have your place on the tree, too…so…” he attempts to open it, but it isn’t budging. He flashes me a nervous grin. “One second, I just need to…see there’s a special way to…to…hang on.”

He turns away from me slightly and bends, putting all of his strength into his attempt at prying the ball open. I even can hear it rattle. “Aw, come _on_.”

Sniggers around us turn into quiet laughter as he struggles. Finally he looks at me, adorably apologetic, and says: “Crap.”

I laugh out loud and hug him. “Oh my god, Will. You’re so…you’re so…”

“Ridiculous?” he gives me a slanted smile. “I swear there is a really nice, shiny engagement ring in here. I had it engraved and everything.”

I can’t stop laughing and I cover my face, ignoring the people around us.

“How about,” Sami says, “you just give him the ornament for now.”

Will sniffs, laughs quietly and then holds the ornament out to me. “I love you. Thank you so much for saying yes.”

I take it, emotional, overwhelmed, and I cradle it close.

“Why don’t you two take a few moments, hmm?” Maggie says, turning to everyone else. “Let’s head into the dining room everyone.”

Eventually we’re alone, laughter filtering through the walls, and we just stand there together. I’m holding my ornament, sniffing, feeling shaky. And Will’s rubbing my arms, touching his brow to mine and just whispering _thank you, thank you_ , again and again.

“I can’ believe…” I begin, stop, and clear my throat. “I can’t believe this is my life. I can’t believe I get _you_.” I look at him, and my laugh sounds watery with unshed tears. “I can’t believe you’re so friggin _romantic_.”

He laughs. “I have my moments.”

“Will?”

“Hmm?” he hums happily, his hands following the shape of my arms.

“First. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“Second, what does it say? The ring? You said it was engraved…”

He smile is serene and his arms wrap around me, gathering me close. He whispers against my ear…

“My love. My snowflake.”


End file.
